Good Behavior
by FOXGIRL200
Summary: Tori feels bad about grounding Jo anf decides to ease up on Jo's punishment


**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!**

It had been so long, _too long_ since August had been discovered in the bath tub, and too longsince he had been allowed in the house; and Jo was going through withdraw. The two had the option of seeing each other in school, true, but they hadn't any personal time in well over 864 hours! And Jo was going crazy. She settled herself against the arm of the couch, exhaling deeply. Being grounded was anything but entertaining; it was possibly the world's most emotionally displeasing thing ever…right under wearing pant- -you know! And heels…heels were never a good thing. You know why. Her food- -pork chops- -had long since been eaten, and she was still hungry. The walk downstairs seemed never ending, exhausting. Tori was the first person to greet her sight. Hey, believe me Jo was not looking to get in any more trouble than she already was. She bid Tori hello, made her way to the kitchen, fixed herself an extra plate and turned on her heel. But Tori had other plans. Even in the midst of punishment, Jo could not force herself to be mad at Tori- -it wasn't Tori's fault that August had stayed overnight, and Jo knew that good and well. Hey, Jo's growing up _…_ I'm so proud of her. Two months earlier and I'd be writing about Jo using her knee brace to zip line out her window and straight to August backyard. Don't look at me; I'm almost 70% sure it's possible! _Please don't be in trouble…please don't be in trouble…PLEASE! Please do not be in trouble!_ Breaking - -and the punishment she was facing was a perfect example of why- -and she regretted ever having made Tori and Jade angry.

"Joanne…come in the living room for a moment."

"Yes, Tori?" Jo racked her brain; she'd come straight home from school every day, did her homework, passed her tests…there was no reason for her to be in trouble.

"Here…" Tori reached into her pocket and produced Jo's previously confiscated cell phone.

"What's this…?" it could be…

"Your phone…it's been long enough…and you've been good; I think you've earned it…"

"Understand, you are still grounded…no doubt about that. But I think Jade and I were a little harsh…if not a little overboard. And for that, I'm sorry." Tori settled herself at the other end of the couch by Jo's feet. It was clear that Jo was about to fall prey to yet another fit of tears- -her eyes were already beginning to water. Jo had been more than eager to resume her nightly conversations with her beau and like a dream come true, her phone had been returned to its rightful owner. Jo was thankful…for lack of a better word. Wake up…go to school…pull a prank before lunch…play with August, go home, terrorize Jess and Jade, talk to August on the phone, get ready for bed, sleep…repeat. And now, her routine was back on track, a hindrance in sense or normality had been restored to her once hectic world. Maybe she was being overdramatic…but she hadn't had a conversation with her boyfriend that didn't involve the answer to number 5 in over a month! Sue her. Jo clutched the phone tightly to her chest. How could a simple machine bring her so much happiness? Does this mean that August got his phone back as well? Hell, this was all so sudden and confusing! Tori walked into kitchen with a smile. To Jo, it looked as if Tori had also had her world restored to its original glory with the sight of a smile.

"You mean…I can call August again…"

Just making sure…

"Yes, you can call August. I think his parents feel like he's suffered enough, too; he's already called five times when you were doing your chores. And another three times while you were asleep."

Hallelujah!

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Don't mention it…" Tori stood to leave.

"Tori…?" Jo said. "I- -I'm sorry I broke the rules…I'm sorry I made you angry."

"Don't worry about it, Jo…you're still my little baby JoJo, and you always will be." Tori nuzzled her nose against Jo's cheek, and as expected, Jo's swatted her away. "You know something…you haven't gotten in trouble a lot, but when you do, it somehow involves August wanting to stay with you longer than he's allowed…and you breaking the rules to make sure that happens."

You know…it does…

"Why is that?"

"Ummm…we're partners in crime…?"

"A for effort; I actually like that excuse…" Tori reclined in her seat. "Why are you blushing?"

"No reason…!"

"Really?"

"Yeah…I just- -random blushing runs in the family!" Jo said.

"So…why doesn't Jess blush out of nowhere…or Jade for that matter?" Tori's lips curled up into a smirk.

"Ummm…I was adopted…?"

"You have a twin...you were adopted and she wasn't…?"

"Ummm…separated at birth!" Okay…even Jo didn't believe THAT excuse.

What the…hell?

"You're forgetting I've been here since you were in diapers…you two grew up together." Tori deadpanned.

"Ummm…Ummm…Ummm…"

"I know you, Jo, and you wouldn't do something like letting a boy stay the night unless he was _really_ special to you…"

"Okay…okay, I like August…a lot…a lot _a lot…_ I more than just like him."

"Was that so hard?" Tori asked.

"Sort of."

"Really? You know looks aside, it is really easy to tell you and Jade are related!" Tori said.

"It's just- -I'm not good at talking about feelings- -it's just not my thing!" I mean, she is related to Jade West- -feelings were not in the job description. What!? Again, you've read the stories…Jade and feelings do not mix…and that is all I am going to say on the subject really. Jo sighed, her breath coming out in short, frustrated puff. Why was being a girl so frustratingly difficult? Oh, I know. Because emotions are complicated and weird and awkward…robots don't know how good they have it. Jo West and emotions were not two words commonly used together in a sentence. Now, Jess West was an entirely different story. Hell, the girl cried at the slight disturbance: movies, tragic news stories, any event that ended in tears- -chances are, most of those tears belonged to Jess. Anyway, Jade seemed to have two emotions- -anger and amusement. _She's like a freakin' zombie sometimes…well, before she met Tori, that is._ "What!? Stop looking at me…it's weird!" really, Tori's face screamed, "Emotional girl Moment". And Jo was having absolutely none of that! She'd rather switch wardrobes with Jess! Oh, goodness. Think of the skirts…the dresses. Oh, no. Jo shifted uncomfortably. She had been more than aware of the development for a while now, but she hadn't the will to admit it. Hell, denial didn't even begin to describe Jo's state of mind...it was more than a river in Egypt.

"I think you should talk to Jade…"

"There isn't anything to talk about…"

"Jo…let me tell you a story, okay. It's the story of my father caught Jade and me making out in the living room of my parents house when she and I were about…your age." Tori chuckled at Jo's automatic grimace at the words "making out".

"Don't worry; I won't go into details."

"Okay…"

"Jade and I had been dating for about a year and a half; my mom and dad went on a trip, leaving Trina and me all by ourselves. Needless to say I invited Jade over almost before their car pulled out of the driveway." Tori smiled. "For two weeks straight, we were attached at the hip: kissing, going to school; don't tell Jade you know this, but she loves to cuddle. Anyway, on the last day of their vacation, Jade and I were saying our goodbyes and let's just say things got a bit…well…y'know." And with the glazed look in Tori's eye Jo gagged. "Hush…anyway, my dad chose that moment to walk in on us."

"What happened?"

"He was actually pretty calm; that was the scary part. You think Jade was tough on August during the sprinkler incident; at least she didn't threaten to shoot him."

"Your dad did what?"

"Yup…" Tori said. "He scratched her name in a bullet and said if he caught us doing anything like that again…well- -just be glad he wasn't serious."

"Wow…"

"Yeah…but that had to be one of my favorite memories with Jade; she was so adorable stuttering and blushing as if someone took a sharpie and scrubbed the color into her cheeks."

"Really…?"

"Yup…and that's when I knew…"

"Knew…what…?"

"…Look…I know Jade isn't the most open with emotions, hell, it took her fifteen years to propose, but I think it's worth a sister to sister talk."

"…Okay." Jo sighed.

"I'm proud of you, JoJo…my baby's all grown up and falling in- -"

"D'oh! Don't say that word!" Jo hopped up from the couch as if it were on fire.

"Okay…okay…deny it all you want; just know that I was in denial for months when Jade and I started dating…and even after were became official I was so deep in denial it wasn't even funny."

Jo's phone rang.

As suspected, August's name appeared on the caller I. D.

"Talk to your boyfriend…I'm taking a nap." Tori said.

"Thank you, Tori…I can see why Jade thinks you're so awesome." Jo said.

"Can't disagree; I am pretty cool."


End file.
